Account setupOnce your phone's all charged up and you've turned it on for the first time, Android phones offer an easy-to-use series of steps to set up your phone. You'll need a Gmail account to start (which will allow you to buy apps in the Android Market), but you can add any other email accounts you use, too. The setup process will also ask for any Facebook, Twitter, and other social media accounts available; don't worry, you can skip optional steps if they don't apply to you. Once you're done with the setup steps, you'll be taken to your default home screen.

Picking a wallpaperOne of my favorite things about Android is its customization options; that being said, if you're not feeling the default wallpaper, let's pick a new one. Press and hold your finger on your screen (that's called a "long-press"). You'll get a popup menu with options on it; choose Wallpapers. Now you can pick from different galleries of wallpapers your phone has by default. Choose your favorite and it will be placed on your home screen for you to enjoy.

If you'd like more information on changing your home screen, clickhere for a great article about customizing your Android phone.

Connecting to your PCNow that your phone is starting to look the way you'd like, you'll probably want to add some items like music and pictures to your library. You've got a couple of options at this point. If you're an iTunes fanatic and like the idea of syncing to your phone through desktop software,doubleTwist is currently the iTunes of the Android universe.

On the other hand, you can just as easily drag and drop files right into your phone, just as you would a simple USB flash drive. When you plug your phone into your PC (and you're not using syncing software), you will be prompted to choose a connection type. Select Disk Drive or USB Storage when the popup asks what you'd like to do, and your phone will show up on your computer just like any other folder.

App purchasesThere are over 200,000 apps in the Android Market; fortunately, there's been a major upgrade to the Android Market, making it easier than ever to buy apps. The Android Market icon is a little shopping bag with an Android icon on it; select it on your touchscreen and you'll be taken to the Market, where you'll be prompted to enter your Google account and payment information. Once in the Market, you'll be able to tap on categories, scroll through lists, and choose an app to see more information.

If you want to purchase an app (or if it's free), select the price button. After that, the app will show you information about what permissions you're allowing it to use. If you're okay with what information the app will use, press OK (it's where the price used to be); if it's free, the download will start. If there's a price tag attached to an app, you'll be taken to the Google payment page, where it will give you the breakdown of what you're buying and how much the total is. Once you tap the "Buy now" button, the app will download.

Don't forget, you have 24 hours to uninstall and refund an app if you try it and don't like it for any reason. All you have to do is find the app in the Market, and there will be a button where the price used to be that says Refund. Press it and follow the steps to get your refund.

Connecting with wifiYou'll likely have your phone service already activated and ready to go on your new device, but you'll also definitely want to set up your wifi connection as well. To do that, press your Menu key. From there, you'll go to Settings > Wireless & networks. Make sure the wifi is enabled (there should be a check in the box), and then tap on "Wi-Fi settings." From there, pick the network you want to connect to (and type in the password if necessary).

Getting your emailThere are almost always two options for getting email on your Android device: the manufacturer's mail app or Gmail. Each device manufacturer has different looks and features to its mail apps, so feel free to check both to decide which you prefer. It's very much all personal opinion and preference here.

These suggestions should definitely get you started with your new Android phone. If you're looking for great apps to download, be sure to check out ourAndroid App of the Weekcolumn for all kinds of Android apps to discover!

New Android phone? Use these simple tips to get up and running with your shiny new device